Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a grass fire in Trent Park on Snakes Lane in Enfield.
The fire destroyed twenty metres by twenty metres of peat based soil.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Peat fires are complex because they burn underground and travel before reappearing above the surface somewhere different. Some parts of the incident are tricky to reach which means that it’s more effective to use water back packs and fire beaters and that requires a large number of ‘boots on the ground’. In short, the more firefighters we have beating the ground, the quicker the area is dampened and quicker we can move our resources away to help ease local congestion.
“During this hot weather we are attending a large number of grass fires across London. We’re asking the public to take care not to drop cigarettes or matches on dry grass and to keep a very close eye on barbecues. Dropped glass can also start fires as the sun can magnify the sun’s rays. Grass fires can quickly spread and cause serious damage, so if you see grass smouldering, please call 999 immediately.”
• Never leave camp fires or barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them
• Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire
• Dispose of smoking materials such as cigarettes safely
• Explain to children the dangers of playing with and lighting fires
The Brigade was called at 1745 and was under control by 2023. Fire crews from Southgate, Barnet and Edmonton fire stations were at the scene.